Is gangsta rap spiritual?

[Bluto]

It's an art form, but it's not a particular high art form. We could go further and claim grime or drill is spiritual. Yes, I suppose they are, but it seems counter intuitive, or even absurd to suggest they raises vibrations, or represent spiritual ascension.

It's all a bit semantic really, because this goes back to the notion that literally everything created is spiritual, because anything created was created from a creative mind - which must have a spirit/consciousness behind it. But by that logic, commercial ads could be classed as spiritual, because they reflect something about life, and are creative. Graffiti could be argued to be a pure art form because it's done neither for profit nor critical acclaim, and perhaps therefore highly spiritual. But we all know in our hearts that's utter nonsense. I doubt there's a single piece of graffiti in heaven.

So, I suppose every thing is spiritual, technically, but only a few things are of ascended spiritual nature, and I think we all intuitively recognise what is and isn't.

Perhaps rap creates spiritual suffering in some? Is that not a rather acceptable way to suffer, and is not by suffering that we can refine our souls?

[Bluto]

That's a good point. I guess it's a matter of subjectivity then.

[Gem]

I guess it's the way a gangsta expresses his life in art, but if art creates culture, it inspires young people into the life. I'm into rock music, metal and such, and that's 'the devil's music'. As far back as Socrates there's been types of music associated with immorality. The very old church banned tri-tones from chants because they sound kinda evil, but my standard for music has lowered greatly during my life-time. I used to need finesse and refinement or just raw performance energy, but now you only have to actually play the instruments for my approval. Are there any gansta rap groups that do that?

[Joe Mc]

Originally Posted by Burntfruit

It could be considered so?

Resistance is the first word that springs to mind, and Resistance Music has
always had a spiritual side, Bob Marley being a case in mind. Even Gospel music had a purpose of resistance, to make strong and resist that which is oppressive.
I think the themes in Rap music in terms of how they are expressed through language and musical form are too dark for my tastes, like nihilistic and no way out vibe. "That's just the way it is Bro ". The lyrics are often misogynistic, vengeful and too rhymey.

I suppose one of the artists to influence modern Rap is the late Coolio. But when you examine a song such as Gangster's Paradise,
you feel a questioning going on and also a pleading for a way out ? This is a spiritual side that is often absent in Modern Rap
with immature relationships between men and women, dealers and users, Police and thieves expressed in very basic expressions, lyrically and musically.

Maybe Rap can be interpreted as some kind of backdrop to Evil activity and some Cosmic Drama and in that sense I could see how it could be construed to be Spiritual.
Part of a 'Spiritual' drama perhaps.

Ps. Here is an example of music I listened to when I was younger. It had a message, maybe a 'Spiritual Message', the musical form through which it
was expressed was rather rough lol. Perhaps Gangsta Rap is messaging in a similar way ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h49y...7mGtF_PC5Zbiao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlQCQ2YyUFU

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[Gem]

People think it's nothing, like who cares if they don't play the instruments, but our standards of reality drop with moral decay, and the horror isn't that we're dumbed down to consume the crud they push over airwaves. It's much worse, as I will explain

Now you can barely find a track that isn't dressed up with auto-tune, and you don't really notice it, but a singer who conveys emotion can't be pitch perfect, so auto-tune takes the feeling out of music, and 'today's music ain't got the same soul'.

The next wave coming is AI generated music. Imagine those machines will learn how to elicit emotions like never before and deliver music that moves us so very deeply. That is the real horror. Not that production companies suck the soul out of music and force feed us with a constant stream matrix goo, but that the machine moves us with so much emotion without having a soul at all.

[Altair]

Originally Posted by Joe Mc

Resistance is the first word that springs to mind, and Resistance Music has
always had a spiritual side, [/url]

What is there to resist? How is resistance spiritual?

[Altair]

Originally Posted by Bluto

It's an art form, but it's not a particular high art form. We could go further and claim grime or drill is spiritual. Yes, I suppose they are, but it seems counter intuitive, or even absurd to suggest they raises vibrations, or represent spiritual ascension.

Just think of the skill and time it took to compose the best of classical music versus the best of rap music. Or the feelings it invokes... tranquillity versus nihilism. One genre is associated with neoclassical structures, another with dusty, unsafe modern neighbourhoods, with scantily clad women and sports cars. Pop music is often about love sickness, sadness and carnal attachment.

Doesn't mean I can't 'like' any those music genres, I can't be one state all the time. There is a place for different emotions but that does not mean they're all of the same quality.

I don't think it is controversial some music is superior, when it invokes calmness, tranquillity, peace. Some music is fast paced, grabs you by the throat and wants you to express yourself externally. It puts you in a rollercoaster and then you deal with the rest. Good luck. As an introvert I've always considered religious music and natural sounds to be superior. Not only more relaxing but they don't grab me and force themselves on me.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Altair

Just think of the skill and time it took to compose the best of classical music versus the best of rap music.

Seriously, who composes a masterpiece when you can just take a sample of Paganini for the catchy riff in a pop song (ala Blackpink)

[Joe Mc]

Originally Posted by Altair

What is there to resist? How is resistance spiritual?

Well as I say above Altair, Gospel for example has alot of Spiritual ideals in the music, peace, transcendence, and the over turning or loosening the shackles of oppression.
It definitely seeks to resist through it's musical expression. Unfortunately I can't speak as politically as I would like here as it's against the rules, so I have to bear that in mind.
Look at my own tradition, the music I was brought up with, Irish rebel music and Irish resistance music, Controversial music but I found Spiritual Ideals in many places in that music.
So that is broadly speaking what I mean by resistance. Hope you are well.

Ps. I could also say Music can have a message to resist living wrongly whatever that may be, to resist it and to live righteously, that type of thing. Cheers.
And I guess 'Some' Rappers are seeking to say don't live like this Bro, it leads to dreadful suffering. Cheers.

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